New Delhi: Solar Impulse 2, the sun-powered aircraft landed at the LeHigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania, completing the 13th leg of a record-breaking flight around the world to promote clean technologies.


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The sun-powered single-seater aircraft, piloted by Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard reached its destination at 8:49 pm CDT after a near 17-hour flight from Dayton, Ohio.



Solar Impulse 2 will take off for New York's JFK airport next week where it is expected to pass over the Statue of Liberty for a much-anticipated photo opportunity before landing at one of the world's busiest airports.


After crossing the United States, the pilots are set to make a transatlantic flight from New York to Europe, from where they plan to make their way back to Abu Dhabi.


Solar Impulse 2 started its around-the-world trip in March 2015 in Abu Dhabi, and made stops in Oman, Myanmar, India, China, Japan and Hawaii before pausing over the winter and resuming the trip in April 2016.


The solar plane weighing about 5,100 pounds has wings equipped with more than 17,000 solar cells allowing it to store energy to fly through night.